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Increased Pred to 30mg but no relief

Posted , 8 users are following.

Quiz_Girl
Quiz_Girl

In July I managed to come down to 6.5 mg of prednisolone but then, as usual had a flare up.  I increased to 10mg  and then back to 15mg for the month of August with no relief.

After visiting my doctor early in September I had an ESR test with a result of 39 even though I was on 15mg, but at this level I was still in agony (neck, arms, hands and legs).

Further visit to my doctor and she increased Pred to 30 mg for a trial of three weeks to see if I could get some relief.  Still in pain with practically no relief except between the hours of 12.30 and 6.00 pm and then back it comes again.

I have never been on higher medication than 15mg before with more or less instant relief. (I have had PMR for 5 years so now know my body quite well with this illness). Can someone please help me with what I should do next.

Thanks

0 likes, 6 replies

6 Replies

  • amkoffee
    amkoffee Quiz_Girl

    Posted

    Is it possible that you have an additional underlying problem that has yet to be diagnosed. One idea I have is your thyroid. If your thyroid is out of whack it can cause joint pain. I was suffering from thyroid pain and PMR pain at the same time and had trouble distinguishing between the two. I got on prednisone and still was hurting but then I realized my thyroid was causing me to hurt so my doctor change the dosage on my thyroid medicine and lo and behold my pain disappeared.
  • Anhaga
    Anhaga Quiz_Girl

    Posted

    I agree with Amkoffee that there may be something else going on and your doctor needs to do more than just raise your pred dose if the additional pred isn't working.  There are other forms of arthritis, or fibro, or any one of a number of possible reasons, most of which are treatable, so you shouldn't have to suffer.

    • Quiz_Girl
      Quiz_Girl Anhaga

      Posted

      Thanks for suggestion, am on 50 mg of thyroxin so will get it checked.
    • Anhaga
      Anhaga Quiz_Girl

      Posted

      Good.  Please let us know how you get on.
  • mark9992
    mark9992 Quiz_Girl

    Posted

    I don't have anything useful to add, but I hope you keep us up to date here.  I've very much like to know how this resolves...as I trust it will.

  • lorrimack
    lorrimack Quiz_Girl

    Posted

    I had to increase to 40mg before relief. This is my second flare in two years.

    within three days I was pain free. 

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